This Sunday (May 23) is Pentecost, a holiday celebrated as being the birth of the church, the day when we remember the Holy Spirit coming down among us like a rushing wind and dancing like tongues of fire over our heads. The color of Pentecost is red, and you are encouraged to wear red as we worship together in our homes and as we gather over zoom.
In previous years, we’ve done a lot more for Pentecost than just wearing red. For my first Pentecost at Peoples, we closed the service with a fire drill at the benediction. Carolyn has created lovely art installations to remind us of the flames of the Holy Spirit, there have been special flowers and special music, and we’ve had lay readers share the scriptures not only in English, but in Spanish, Italian, French, German, Hebrew, and Greek.
How can we make this Pentecost special?
To celebrate Pentecost as the “birthday of the church,” you might bake a birthday cake (if you live alone, like me, you might try the microwave red velvet cake that I made last year in a mug), put up some streamers, or read about the history of Peoples Presbyterian Church.
To reflect on the Holy Spirit as a rushing wind or the breath of God, you might blow up a balloon, assemble a pinwheel, blow some bubbles, fly a kite, or just go outside and find a breeze.
To reflect on the Holy Spirit as the tongues of flame that rested on the heads of the apostles, you might light a candle, start up the grill, or print and color this Holy Spirit coloring page.
To reflect on the gift of languages, and the many different ways in which people pray to God around the world, you might read the Lord’s Prayer in another language.
And, of course, please find something red to wear as you join us for worship over Facebook Live on Sunday at 10am, so that we can celebrate Pentecost together, even though we are still separated.
Italian
Padre nostro, che sei nei cieli,
sia santificato il tuo nome,
venga il tuo regno,
sia fatta la tua volontà,
come in cielo così in terra.
Dacci oggi il nostro pane quotidiano,
e rimetti a noi i nostri debiti
come noi li rimettiamo ai nostri debitori,
e non ci indurre in tentazione,
ma liberaci dal male,
perché Tuo è il regno
e la potenza e la gloria in eterno. Amen.
German
Vater unser im Himmel,
geheiligt werde dein Name.
Dein Reich komme.
Dein Wille geschehe,
wie im Himmel so auf Erden.
Unser tägliches Brot gib uns heute.
Und vergib uns unsere Schuld,
wie auch wir vergeben unsern Schuldigern.
Und führe uns nicht in Versuchung,
sondern erlöse uns von dem Bösen.
Denn dein ist das Reich und die Kraft
und die Herrlichkeit in Ewigkeit.
Amen
Spanish
Padre nuestro, que estás en el cielo,
santificado sea tu nombre,
venga a nosotros tu reino,
hágase tu voluntad
en la tierra como en el cielo.
Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día,
perdona nuestras ofensas,
como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden,
no nos dejes caer en la tentación,
y líbranos del mal;
porque tuyo es el reino, el poder, y la gloria,
por todos los siglos. Amén
French
Nostre pere, qui es es cieux,
Ton Nom soit sanctifié;
Ton règne vienne;
Ta volonté soit faite
ainsi en la terre comme au ciel;
Donne-nous aujourd’hui nostre pain quotidien;
Pardonne-nous nos péchés,
comme aussi nous pardonnons à ceux qui nous opnt offensés;
Et ne nos induis point dans la tentation;
mais délivre nos du malin.;
Car a toi appartient le règne,
la puissance et la gloire à jamais. Amen.
Latin
Pater noster, qui es in cœlis;
sanctificatur nomen tuum:
Adveniat regnum tuum;
fiat voluntas tua,
sicut in cœlo, et in terra.
Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie:
Et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris:
et ne nos inducas in tentationem:
sed libera nos a malo.
Quia tuum est regnum,
et potestas, et gloria in saecula. Amen.
Greek
Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς·
ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου·
ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου·
γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου,
ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς·
τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον·
καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν,
ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν·
καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν,
ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ.
Ὅτι σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία
καὶ ἡ δύναμις καὶ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ἀμήν.
Brazilian Portuguese
Pai nosso, que estais no céu
Santificado seja o Vosso nome,
Venha a nós o Vosso reino,
Seja feita a Vossa vontade,
Assim na terra como no céu.
O pão nosso de cada dia nos dai hoje.
Perdoai as nossas ofensas,
Assim como nós perdoamos a quem nos têm ofendido.
E não nos deixeis cair em tentação,
Mas livrai-nos do mal,
Pois Vosso é o Reino,
o Poder e a Glória. Para sempre. Amém.
Polish
Ojcze nasz, któryś jest w niebie,
święć się Imię Twoje.
Przyjdź królestwo Twoje.
Bądź wola Twoja,
jako w niebie tak i na ziemi.
Chleba naszego powszedniego daj nam dzisiaj.
I odpuść nam nasze winy,
jako i my odpuszczamy naszym winowajcom.
I nie wódź nas na pokuszenie,
ale nas zbaw ode złego.
Albowiem Twoje jest Królestwo i moc, i chwała
na wieki wieków. Amen.
Russian
Отче наш, сущий на небесах!
Да святится имя Твое;
Да приидет Царствие Твое;
Да будет воля Твоя и на земле, как на небе;
Хлеб наш насущный дай нам на сей день;
И прости нам долги наши,
Как и мы прощаем должникам нашим;
И не введи нас в искушение,
Но избавь нас от лукавого.
Ибо Твое есть Царство и сила и слава во веки.
Аминь.